Hide-stretching device.



.T. F. LEE.

HIDE STRETGHING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 11.1910;

THE NORRIS PETERS ca wAsryluc-rau, n. cy

Patented J an, 17, 1911.

JOHN F. LEE, OF LIPLPTON, ARKANSAS.

HIDE-STRETGHING- DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1'7, 1911.

Application filed May 11, 1910. Serial No. 560,653.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JoHN F. LEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lippton, in the county of Little River and State of Arkansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Hide-Stretching Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in hide stretching devices, the object of the invention being to provide a simple and effective device of this character whereby hides of diiferent sizes may be held stretched to a proper tension while being dried or tanned.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of devices, hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of a hide stretcher embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section.

The stretcher comprises an oblong rectangular frame formed of longitudinal side rails 1 and transverse bars orrails 2 con necting the ends of said side rails to an intermediate longitudinal bar or rail 8 disposed in parallel relation to the rails 1 and extending beyond the ends of the rails 2, the extremities of said rail 8 being provided with hide-engaging spurs or fingers a.

Extending longitudinally of the frame above the intermediate rail is a spring tension rod 5, preferably formed of spring wire, said rod being cent-rally connected to the rail 3 by a bracket 6. From the bracket the ends of the rod curve upwardly or away from the rail 3 and also laterally in the same direction, the rod thus being compoundly curved.

Arranged for cooperation with the tension rod are transverse stretcher bars 7, each provided at its outer end with a hide-engaging finger or spur 8. Some of the bars extend transversely in one direction with their fingered ends projecting beyond one of the rails 1, while the remaining bars extend transversely in the opposite directions with their fingered ends projecting beyond the opposite rail 1. The inner end of each bar is formed with a series of openings 9 for passage of the tension rod, whereby the bar is slidably mounted on the rod and also adjustably connected therewitln In the drawing I have shown the device in use for stretching a hide 10, the spurs t of the rail 3 and the spurs 8 of the bars 7 being arranged to bear against the projecting portions of the hide or to engage perforations therein and hold the hide in position upon the frame. It will be understood that, owing to the curvature of the rod 5, the bars 7 will be supported at an angle, inclining downwardly and outwardly from said bars and resting at their free ends upon the rails 1. It will also be understood that through the lateral curvature of the rod, the bars may be adjusted along the same to project to a greater or less degree beyond the sides of the frame and to exert greater or less pressure upon the hide, thus stretching the same to the proper tension. This result may be secured both by sliding the bars longitudinally on the rod or by engaging one or the other of the openings in each bar with the rod, thus increasing or diminishing the effective length of the bar as occasion may require to regulate its stretching pressure or to position it to engage heads of different sizes.

It will be seen that the construction of the device is simple, and that owing to the peculiar form of the tension rod and the adjustable connection of the bars therewith, the sets of bars may be adjusted to engage the hides at diiferent points and to hold it securely'in stretched position upon the frame while it is being dried or tanned.

Having thus described the invention, I claim 1. A hide stretching device comprising a frame, a compoundly curved spring tension rod carried by and extending longitudinally of the frame, and transverse stretcher bars slidably engaging said rod.

2. A hide stretching device comprising a frame, a compoundly curved tension rod carried by and extending longitudinally of the frame, and transverse stretcher bars each having a series of perforations to slidably and adjustably engage said rod.

3. A hide stretching device comprising a frame having hide engaging fingers at the In testimony whereof I aflix my signature ends thereof, a compoundly curved tension in presence of two Witnesses. rod carried bv and extending longitudinally his 7 of said frame, and transverse stretcher bars JOHN X F, LEE. 5 having hide engaging fingers at their outer 7 .7 mark ends and each provided at its inner end With Witnesses: a series of perforations to slidably and ad- B. T. BROWN,

justably engage said rod. W. D. I-IOPSON. 

